A mainstay of the area through her work with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office as a supervisor of victim/witness services and restorative justice, Johnson-Harrell even ran a primary challenge to former Rep. Vanessa Lowery-Brown in 2016.

Democrats selected Movita Johnson-Harrell Sunday as their candidate for the 190th House district special election in March, according to sources familiar with the process.

The party leaders had to choose a new candidate after Darryl Thomas withdrew his name from nomination early Saturday morning. He was the second person linked to consideration torpedoed over residency concerns.

Of three special elections in the House yesterday, Democrat Helen Tai flipped the 178th in Bucks County. Republican Tim O'Neal did the same to the 48th in Washington County. The only place whose party control remained unchanged was Tioga County's 68th, which Republican Clint Owlett won.

Springtime for Pennsylvania politicos is usually for a winnowing of the flock, as voters pick their favored primary candidate to slog on into November's general election.

But this year, three special elections for the state House of Representatives in the southwest, north, and southeastern parts of the Keystone State mean a few thousands voters will have a chance to send fresh faces straight to Harrisburg.